Masonry walls, steps, and gate columns are often details Jesse romanticizes when touring the grounds of a grand estate, manor, or country home. They add charm that almost always goes unnoticed, fading into the background among the interest of sculpted hedges, wildflower gardens, water features, and what is often beautiful architecture serving as the backdrop. With that in mind, I wanted to share some of our favorite examples of masonry elements set among gardens that we have experienced through our travels.
What I love about these details is their ability to add structure among even the most chaotically laid out landscapes. They can serve to create visual order, demark entrances, formalize walkways, draw the eye to a unique species, and demark different “garden rooms.” They also often serve as an extension of the character of the facade, drawing the architectural design intention to different corners of the grounds they sit on.
If I had to sum it up, these features add a feeling of structure, effort, and permanence to a landscape design plan that makes it feel like you are wandering through one big courtyard that is hugged by the home, or elements that feel like an extension of it.
The collection of images I have included here features examples of masonry details positioned throughout gardens that we personally experienced the charm of in both England and France, including Hidcote Manor and Gardens, Lucknam Park Hotel and Spa, La Borde, Buckland Manor, and Cliveden House. We hope you enjoy our photography as much as we did taking these shots!
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